


Weathervane

by kaleidomusings



Category: Captain America (Movies), Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Western, Canon-Typical Violence, Dubious Consent, Harlequin, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Western
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2015-12-03
Packaged: 2018-05-04 18:52:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5344793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaleidomusings/pseuds/kaleidomusings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Steve Rogers loses everything and decides to start over on the other side of the country. </p><p>Strangely enough, moving west and marrying a man he doesn't know is <i>not</i> the worst decision he's ever made.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Weathervane

**Author's Note:**

> My brain thought that writing a ridiculous Harlequin western marriage of convenience AU would be a fantastic idea. Whoops?

The train jolted to an abrupt halt, causing Steve's hand to slip and his pencil to jump across the page of his sketchbook. He stared down at his drawing of Peggy, her face marred by the dark line his pencil left behind, and his heart ached with regret. 

Not wanting to think about it further, Steve quickly closed his sketchbook and stuffed it into his bag. Without drawing to distract him, the sweltering heat hit him full force. He wiped his sweaty face on his handkerchief just as the conductor called out the name of the station. Hell's Kitchen. His heart pounded with nerves when he remembered what he was doing here and for what purpose. But then he slung his bag over his shoulder and the crowd of other passengers jostled him out of the train and on to platform. It was all he could do just to remain standing upright as people shoved at him from all sides and a stray elbow or two nearly caught him in the nose. 

"Captain Rogers!" a voice suddenly called out once he managed to find his bearings. 

Steve turned as a man forced his way through the crowd to reach him. He had sandy colored hair, a round face, and a warm smile that reminded Steve of everything he lost. There was no one left to smile at him like that. At least not since Bucky died. 

"You must be Mr. Nelson," he said, shaking the man's hand. "It's a pleasure."

The lopsided grin he got in return made him think of Dum Dum, although Nelson looked nothing like him. "Mr. Nelson makes me feel old," he complained good-naturedly. "Call me Foggy." 

"Foggy then." Even though he hadn't realized how tense he'd been until now, it was such a relief that Foggy seemed like a friendly person. Steve never expected to get used to moving out this far west, but after seeing one kind face, he might learn to like it. "And please, I haven't been a captain since I was discharged. Steve is fine."

Foggy looked a bit uncomfortable at that, making Steve wish he hadn't said anything. But then he recovered quickly and said brightly, "All right then, Steve it is." He clapped Steve on the shoulder as he led the way out of the station. "We should get going. Karen has been dying to meet you."

"Oh," Steve said, feeling like the scrawny nobody he used to be, because he still hadn't quite figured out how to talk to women without sticking his foot in his mouth. Peggy used to tease him about it all the time. 

Foggy blinked in surprise when he noticed the look on his face and burst into a laugh. "If you get tongue tied now, just wait until you see her in person," he said. Then he smiled, eyes bright like a man in love, and Steve told himself that he wasn't envious of someone who had what he lost. 

Steve followed Foggy out into the hot afternoon sun, where a small rundown cart was waiting for them. Maybe at some point the pony that was hitched to it may have been a gorgeous animal, but was now a dull gray thing with a mean look in its eye. Steve carefully avoided getting too close to it and instead focused on the woman sitting patiently in the front of the cart. 

Karen Page was beautiful, that much was certain. 

Her long blonde was coiled carefully in a knot at the base of her neck and her cornflower blue dress matched the color of her eyes. Steve carefully looked away to avoid staring at her face and fixed his gaze somewhere above her left ear. "Pleasure to meet you, miss," he said politely. 

"Likewise." Karen glanced at Steve's bag before pinning Foggy with a stern frown. "Did you forget to bring the rest of his luggage?"

"Of course not!" Foggy protested. Then he looked at Steve, clearly ashamed. "I mean, I don't think so...?"

Steve tried to smile, but didn't quite manage it. After his discharge, he'd been forced to sell almost everything he had. The only thing he had left of actual value was his mother's wedding ring and an old pocket watch Bucky gave him for his birthday. "No. This is everything."

Karen and Foggy stared at each other, some unspoken conversation passing between them, while Steve pretended not to notice. Then a thought suddenly occurred to him and he found himself asking aloud, "Where is Mr. Murdock?"

Foggy coughed, embarrassed. "About that…"

\--

Steve never planned to get married this way. 

He used to think that he would marry Peggy, have children, and maybe one of his sons or daughters would marry Bucky's son or daughter, because of course they would still be friends by then. But the war took everything from him and the black mark on his name was just one reason of many why he couldn't bear to stay in Brooklyn anymore. But he couldn't afford to go west on his own, so he signed up as a mail order husband, although not really expecting that anyone would choose him. That was why it came as some surprise when a Matthew Murdock put in a request for him. There was no picture to see what he looked like, nothing but a messy signature and a few letters from a Franklin Nelson, who helped arrange his journey across the country. 

Steve tried not to expect much for fear of being disappointed, but even this was too much. It was one thing to marry a man he didn't love, but it was an entirely different matter to marry a man he didn't love and who had _no idea Steve was going to be his husband_. 

He stared down at the cup of coffee Karen placed in front of him. She glanced nervously at Foggy, who looked about ready to fall on his knees and grovel for Steve's forgiveness.

"I'm really sorry about all this," Foggy said again from where he sat across from him. "We just want Matt to be happy. At least meet him before heading back to New York. Please?"

Steve wouldn't be able to go back even if he could afford the train ticket. He was trapped here until he somehow saved up enough money or until his husbandsent him away. Which seemed highly unlikely, because Foggy had also conveniently failed to mention that Nelson and Murdock was not the prestigious law firm Steve was led to believe. Apparently they could barely afford to keep Karen as a secretary.  

"You lied to me," Steve accused, startling Karen and making her jump. 

Foggy shifted uneasily in his chair. "I didn't lie. I just… omitted the truth a bit?"

Steve raised his head, a biting retort on the tip of his tongue, but froze when he caught sight of the man who appeared in the doorway without him noticing. 

He was tall, nearly the same height as Steve, with a strong jaw and dressed in a simple but well tailored suit. His hair was a dark brown and Steve assumed his eyes might be the same color, although it was hard to tell with the dark red glasses hiding them from view. He also had a cane clutched in front of him, the way someone with trouble seeing might hold it.

All at once, the glasses made a lot of sense. 

"Foggy," the man -Matthew Murdock, _his husband_ \- said, in a deeper voice than Steve expected. "What have you done?"

Foggy squirmed, like a dog that knew it was about to be punished for making a mess. "Um. Surprise?" 

\--

"This must be quite a shock for you," Murdock said. 

Steve wasn't sure how to respond, so he focused instead on steering the old miserable pony. Foggy suggested he and Murdock should take some time to get to know each other, so Karen hitched the poor wretched animal to the cart, because she was the only person it listened to. 

"Her name is Peaches," Karen had explained, after dragging Steve over to meet her properly. Steve didn't think it was a very fitting name. Neither did Foggy if the helpless shrug he gave Steve when their eyes met was any indication. Peaches nearly bit off Steve's fingers when he got too close, but obediently stood still when he offered the peach slices Karen gave him. The pony warmed up to him a little bit after that, and at the very least didn't try to tip the cart over while he drove with Murdock sitting beside him. 

So lost in thought, it took Steve a moment to realize Murdock had asked him a question. "Pardon?"

If Murdock was annoyed about having to repeat himself, it didn't show. "You're good with horses," he said, smiling.

"I had one in the war," Steve replied. She had been a beautiful white mare he named Liberty with a sweet temperament and fiercely brave. Their rations hadn't been much, so he couldn't sneak her apples or sugar cubes like he wanted to, but after setting up camp he would always brush her down and fall asleep curled up against her side. But now she was gone, just like everything else he knew and loved. 

Steve wasn't aware of how tightly his hands was clenched on the reins until Murdock tilted his head toward him. "If you want to go back, I'll find a way to help you," he said. 

Steve forced himself to relax his fingers. Murdock may not be able to see him, but their shoulders lightly bumped against each other as the cart rattled around. He could probably sense the tension Steve felt. Still, he appreciated the offer. Impossible though it was. "There's nothing to go back to," he said simply. "So where are we headed?"

Murdock kept his face turned toward Steve. "My favorite place."

It turned out to be a small lake on the edge of town. It wasn't much, but there were actual trees and green grass surrounding it. In a barren wasteland like this, it was an oasis. 

Steve jumped off the cart and touched Murdock's arm, letting him know where he was. But Murdock surprised him with the strong grip he used to grab Steve's hand and swung himself to the ground. 

During the war, Steve had seen his share of wounded men whose injuries were so severe that they ended up blind. But Murdock was so at ease with it, he wondered if he was born that way or it was something he was afflicted with as a child.

It occurred to him suddenly that Steve didn't know a thing about this man who was his husband. Foggy had mentioned a few things, like how he was a lawyer and was a few years younger than than him, but nothing important. Certainly nothing about how Murdock was blind. Not that it bothered him, but Steve wondered if he should try being more helpful or if that might offend him. What did Murdock need with a mail order husband anyway?

Annoyed with himself and the situation, once Murdock was settled on the grass and Peaches drinking from the edge of the lack, Steve threw down the hat Foggy lent him and shucked off his jacket. 

"What are you doing?" Murdock asked. 

Steve glanced over his shoulder before working on the buttons of his shirt and shrugging it off. Then he kicked off his boots and unbuckled his pants. "Going for a swim."

With anyone else, he might have been embarrassed about being naked (Bucky and the rest of his men used to tease him about his shyness all the time), but here he didn't have to worry about his modesty. Or lack of, for that matter. But as he dove into the water, he thought Murdock made a strangled sort of noise. Although he dismissed it a moment later. It was probably just his imagination.

The water was cooler than he expected. When he surfaced for air, he looked over at Murdock, but he seemed perfectly fine with just sitting there and waved off Steve's offer to help him into the water. Steve swam for quite sometime, but eventually felt guilty about leaving Murdock out in the sun. He climbed out and sat down next to him, running his fingers through his damp hair. He should probably put his clothes back on, but wanted to dry out in the sun first. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a hand reach toward him. Murdock stopped when Steve stiffened, smiling almost sheepishly. "May I?"

Steve wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to do, but nodded anyway. Even if Murdock tried to hurt him, he would easily be able to stop him. But Murdock was surprisingly gentle as his fingers touched Steve's face. The tips of his fingers ran over his eyelids and nose, lingering as they moved across his lips. Steve could feel himself flush, unused to this kind of physical contact. Murdock's other hand dropped onto Steve's bare thigh and he swallowed hard, suddenly nervous. 

Especially when Murdock moved closer and asked, "May I kiss you?"

According to the law, they were already married. Murdock could kiss him and Steve wouldn't be able to stop him. Then again, maybe that's why he asked. He was giving Steve the choice and that -more than anything- made his decision for him. 

"Can you take off your glasses?" he asked. 

Murdock froze and Steve wondered if he offended him, but before he could apologize Murdock removed his glasses, folded them, and carefully tucked them in the front pocket of his suit. His gaze didn't meet Steve's, too off center to do so properly, but it still felt like he was looking right at him. They were beautiful eyes. Peggy's had been the prettiest shade of brown and Bucky's were the color of the storm clouds, but Murdock's eyes were a stunning hazel, looking almost gold in the sunlight.  

He could have spent an eternity studying the color of those eyes, but then Murdock lifted his hand again and cupped the back of Steve's neck, drawing him in for a kiss. Steve gripped Murdock's jacket, his heart racing as Murdock's mouth found his with startling accuracy. 

Steve had never been kissed by a man before. He used to think of doing it all the time with Bucky, but imagining it and actually doing it were two entirely different things. Murdock's lips were soft and warm, his kiss chaste and gentle. Steve's whole body tingled with that one kiss and he wanted more, but didn't know how to ask for it. But then Murdock's hand caught his jaw while the other dropped on his bare thigh, and Steve drew his knees together to hide his shameful reaction with a gasp. 

That sound seemed to be what Murdock was waiting for because he deepened the kiss, his tongue licking into the Steve's mouth over and over again. Steve fell back against the grass as Murdock climbed on top of him, straddling his hips for another kiss. Steve trembled beneath him, overcome with arousal and frightened by the way his body was responding. He felt terrifyingly vulnerable like this, Murdock's clothes rubbing against his naked skin. 

He didn't realize how much he was struggling to breathe until Murdock drew back, his brow furrowed with concern. "Rogers?"

Steve's breath whistled through his teeth and he winced, his chest heaving no matter how much he tried to make it stop. Murdock climbed off him and helped him sit up, rubbing his back the way Bucky used to when he was sick. 

"Steve, _breathe_."  

A noise like a sob escaped his throat and Steve finally remembered how to swallow air. He gulped on it like a drowning man, unable to even struggle when Murdock's arms wrapped around him. Steve held on just as tightly and buried his face against his neck, taking shaking breaths. 

"I'm sorry," Murdock said and Steve almost laughed because he had nothing to apologize for. It wasn't his fault Steve was broken. "We don't have to rush. We can take our time."

And Steve wanted to protest and say he wasn't fragile or weak, that he could handle it. But he was just too immensely relieved to lie.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please leave kudos and comments letting me know what you think. Also feel free to find me on [tumblr](kaleidomusings.tumblr.com/ask) to ask about my fics or leave prompts.


End file.
